Chapter 39
Cori
“I swear, you’re a genius. I have that fool eating out of my hand.” I hold my hand out. Selene slaps it, and we both fall back in the booth and laugh.
“What’s so damn funny?” Eden takes off her coat and sits next to me. “Sorry. We were a bit behind at work. Did you order for me?”
“We did,” Selene confirms.
“What were you talking about?” I look around. Seven Heaven is packed for lunch, but we’re in a secluded booth at the back of the restaurant. I gesture for her to come closer, and I tell her my plan of getting Dax to fall in love with me so I can break his heart.
Her mouth hangs open by the time I finish talking. The server brings our food, and I shove a handful of fries in my mouth.
“You’re doing what?” Eden asks in a horrified whisper.
“You heard me,” I say.
“That asshole is going to be butt-hurt by the time Cori finishes with him. Do you see how he looks at her? All thirsty and shit.”
“I didn’t believe Selene at first. I thought he was just an entitled man who thinks he can have whatever he wants, but this fool actually thought we were on a honeymoon in Chicago. He was opening doors, taking me to fancy restaurants, sightseeing, and buying me shit. Holding my hand everywhere.” I roll my eyes and giggle.
“And you don’t mean any of it?”
“Hell no.” I suck my teeth at the very idea.
“It’s cruel,” Eden adds.
“Cruel? You don’t think trapping her into a marriage was cruel?” Selene comes to my defense like a tornado.
“Cori said I do, though.”
“Not willingly. He forced her.”
“Selene, when was the last time a man forced Cori into doing anything? She agreed, and I don’t think you should play with his emotions.” Eden points her fork at me to make her point. There’s a small part of me that agrees with her last statement, but I can’t voice that close to Selene. “He seems to really care about you, Cor. And Selene, I’m shocked that you suggest Cori do this.”
Selene huffs and rolls her eyes.
“You guys know I don’t play when it comes to either one of you. He needs to be punished. Where was this concern for Cori? He just derailed her entire life, and his sorry ass needs to pay.” Selene opens her mouth to say more but closes it when she notices Preacher being seated at a table a few feet away. “What is he doing here?” She subtly points in his direction, but he notices and waves at us. “He’s weird.”
“Forget him. Dax is helping me with my business plan,” I whisper. What I don’t say is that he had good ideas and that hesays he’ll invest whatever I want in the business. He also praised my plan, and since he was the first person I had ever shown it to, I felt a sense of pride, but I stuffed it away. “He had a surprise for me when we got home last night.”
Everyone stops chewing and waits for me to say more. Instead of telling them, I pull out my phone and order them to swipe through the pictures.
“Is that your own sewing room?”
“It sure is, with three sewing machines. Do you see that wall of material back there? Silks, satins, lace in all shades of white.” I swipe another picture. “Look at these colors for bridesmaids' dresses. He even had my grandma’s old sewing machine tuned. It purrs like a kitten now. He got me these fancy-ass scissors. It’s like cutting through warm butter.”
Eden takes the phone and inspects each picture.
“That’s pretty thoughtful, Cor.”
“It is, because I was right.” Selene puffs out her chest. “Men are dumb.”
We hear a loud throat clearing. Preacher looks at us and shakes his head. He jumps out of his seat and slides next to Selene. She moves as far away from him as possible.
“Hey, Selene.”
“What’s up, Preacher boy?” My cousin sips her drink and makes a face at me, causing me to giggle.
